Unexamined Published Japanese Patent Application (Kokai) No. Hei 6-55961 discloses a seat device that includes a pair of lower rails fixed on a vehicle floor, a pair of upper rails which slide on the lower rails, and lower frames which are fixed with a seat cushion frame (or pan) and which are also fixed to the upper rails by bolts. On the seat assembly line, a floor side member unit which includes a lower rail and an upper rail are fixed by bolts with a seat side member which includes a lower arm.
In this known type of seat device, overlapping portions exist between the floor side member unit and the seat side member for purposes of effecting the bolt fixing. This inevitably increases the seat width dimensions. Also, the bolt fixing process adds time to the assembly process, and the parts management associated with the bolt and nut fixation brings about increased costs.
In light of the foregoing, a need exists for a seat device that is not susceptible to the same disadvantages and drawbacks as other known seat devices.